U.S. patent application number 14/318812 was filed with the patent office on 2015-01-01 for vacuum container and vacuum forming device using the same.
The applicant listed for this patent is HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD., HONG FU JIN PRECISION INDUSTRY (ShenZhen) CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to TANG-QUAN CHEN, YI-MIN JIANG, XIAN-HE LI.
Application Number | 20150000857 14/318812 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 52114455 |
Filed Date | 2015-01-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150000857 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
CHEN; TANG-QUAN ; et
al. |
January 1, 2015 |
VACUUM CONTAINER AND VACUUM FORMING DEVICE USING THE SAME
Abstract
A vacuum container includes a connecting chamber a valve
chamber, a discharging chamber, and a sealing member. The
connecting chamber defines an inclined sealing surface. The
discharging chamber defines a discharging passage therein. The
valve chamber interconnects the connecting chamber and the
discharging chamber. The sealing member is slidably received in the
valve chamber, wherein the sealing member is configured for sliding
toward the sealing surface, such that the sealing member resists
the inclined sealing surface to hermetically isolate the connecting
chamber from the discharging chamber.
Inventors: |
CHEN; TANG-QUAN; (Shenzhen,
CN) ; LI; XIAN-HE; (Shenzhen, CN) ; JIANG;
YI-MIN; (Shenzhen, CN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
HONG FU JIN PRECISION INDUSTRY (ShenZhen) CO., LTD.
HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD. |
Shenzhen
New Taipei |
|
CN
TW |
|
|
Family ID: |
52114455 |
Appl. No.: |
14/318812 |
Filed: |
June 30, 2014 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
164/259 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B22D 27/15 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
164/259 |
International
Class: |
B22D 27/15 20060101
B22D027/15 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 1, 2013 |
CN |
2013102700583 |
Claims
1. A vacuum container configured to be coupled to a vacuum forming
chamber of a vacuum forming device, comprising: a connecting
chamber defining an inclined sealing surface at an inner bottom,
the connecting chamber being coupled to the vacuum forming chamber;
a discharging chamber defining a discharging passage therein; a
valve chamber interconnecting the connecting chamber and the
discharging chamber; and a sealing member slidably received in the
valve chamber, wherein the sealing member is configured for sliding
along a direction inclined toward an axis of the discharging
passage, and reaching at the inner bottom of the connecting
chamber, such that the sealing member resists the inclined sealing
surface to isolate the connecting chamber from the discharging
chamber.
2. The vacuum container of claim 1, wherein the discharging chamber
further defines an outlet fluid communicating with the discharging
passage, the vacuum container further comprises a sealing cover
pivotably coupled to the discharging chamber, the sealing cover is
configured to seal the outlet, when the sealing cover is rotated to
beneath the outlet, the sealing cover is inclined toward the
discharging chamber to permit a workpiece to slide from the
discharging chamber to the sealing cover, and the workpiece slides
along the sealing cover to a pre-set position.
3. The vacuum container of claim 1, wherein the valve chamber
comprises a top wall, a first guiding wall, a second guiding wall
and a supporting wall, the first guiding wall perpendicularly
extend from an edge of the top wall and is coupled to a top of the
connecting chamber the second guiding wall perpendicularly extends
from an edge of the top wall opposite to the first guiding wall and
enters into the discharging chamber, the second guiding wall is
parallel to the first guiding wall and coplanar to the inclined
sealing surface, the supporting wall extends from an end of the
first guiding wall away from the top wall, and protrudes toward the
second guiding wall, the supporting wall is parallel to the top
wall, the sealing member is received in the valve chamber and
opposite sides of the sealing member respectively resists the first
guiding wall and the second guiding wall.
4. The vacuum container of claim 3, wherein the first guiding wall
and the supporting wall are spaced from the inner bottom of the
connecting chamber, the second guiding wall is spaced from the
inclined sealing surface, the second guiding wall and the inclined
sealing surface form a through passage therebetween, the through
passage interconnects the discharging passage and the vacuum
forming chamber.
5. The vacuum container of claim 3, wherein the top wall defines an
inserting hole, the sealing member comprising a sealing head and a
connecting rod protruding from an end of the sealing head opposite
sides of the sealing head respectively resists the first guiding
wall and the second guiding wall, the connecting rod slidably
penetrates through the inserting hole and partially expose out of
the valve chamber, the vacuum container further comprises a first
driving member assembled to the connecting rod, the first driving
member is configured for driving the sealing head to slide along
the first guiding wall and the second guiding wall, and enables the
sealing head to resist the supporting wall) and the inclined
sealing surface, causing the sealing member to isolate the
connecting chamber from the valve chamber.
6. The vacuum container of claim 3, wherein the discharging chamber
comprises a mounting wall, a side wall, and an outlet wall, the
mounting wall is coupled to jointing portion of the top wall and
the second guiding wall, the side wall perpendicularly extends from
an edge of the mounting wall away from the valve chamber, the
outlet wall perpendicularly extend from an edge of the side wall
away from the mounting wall and is coupled to the inclined sealing
surface, and the outlet wall is be arranged parallel to the
mounting wall, the outlet is defined on the outlet wall.
7. The vacuum container of claim 6, wherein the outlet wall and the
mounting wall are arranged along a horizon direction, the outlet
wall is parallel to the inner bottom of the valve chamber and is
disposed above the inner bottom of the connecting chamber opposite
edges of the inclined sealing surface are connected to the inner
bottom and the outlet wall.
8. The vacuum container of claim 6, wherein the inner bottom of the
connecting chamber is coplanar to the outlet wall, the sealing
surface is coupled to jointing edges of the inner bottom and the
outlet wall and extends toward the valve chamber.
9. A vacuum forming device, comprising: a vacuum forming chamber;
and a vacuum container, comprising: a connecting chamber defining
an inclined sealing surface at an inner bottom, the connecting
chamber being coupled to the vacuum forming chamber; a discharging
chamber defining a discharging passage therein; a valve chamber
interconnecting the connecting chamber and the discharging chamber;
and a sealing member slidably received in the valve chamber,
wherein the sealing member is configured for sliding along a
direction inclined toward an axis of the discharging passage, and
reaching at the inner bottom of the connecting chamber such that
the sealing member resists the inclined sealing surface to isolate
the connecting chamber from the discharging chamber.
10. The vacuum forming device of claim 9, wherein the discharging
chamber further defines an outlet fluid communicating with the
discharging passage, the vacuum container further comprises a
sealing cover pivotably coupled to the discharging chamber, the
sealing cover is configured to seal the outlet, when the sealing
cover is rotated to beneath the outlet the sealing cover is
inclined toward the discharging chamber to permit a workpiece to
slide from the discharging chamber to the sealing cover, and the
workpiece slides along the sealing cover to a pre-set position.
11. The vacuum forming device of claim 9, wherein the valve chamber
comprises a top wall, a first guiding wall, a second guiding wall
and a supporting wall, the first guiding wall perpendicularly
extend from an edge of the top wall and is coupled to a top of the
connecting chamber the second guiding wall perpendicularly extends
from an edge of the top wall opposite to the first guiding wall and
enters into the discharging chamber, the second guiding wall is
parallel to the first guiding wall and coplanar to the inclined
sealing surface, the supporting wall extends from an end of the
first guiding wall away from the top wall, and protrudes toward the
second guiding wall, the supporting wall is parallel to the top
wall, the sealing member is received in the valve chamber and
opposite sides of the sealing member respectively resists the first
guiding wall and the second guiding wall.
12. The vacuum forming device of claim 11, wherein the first
guiding wall and the supporting wall are spaced from the inner
bottom of the connecting chamber, the second guiding wall is spaced
from the inclined sealing surface, the second guiding wall and the
inclined sealing surface form a through passage therebetween, the
through passage interconnects the discharging passage and the
vacuum forming chamber.
13. The vacuum forming device of claim 11, wherein the top wall
defines an inserting hole, the sealing member comprising a sealing
head and a connecting rod protruding from an end of the sealing
head, opposite sides of the sealing head respectively resists the
first guiding wall and the second guiding wall, the connecting rod
slidably penetrates through the inserting hole and partially expose
out of the valve chamber, the vacuum container further comprises a
first driving member assembled to the connecting rod, the first
driving member is configured for driving the sealing head to slide
along the first guiding wall and the second guiding wall, and
enables the sealing head to resist the supporting wall and the
inclined sealing surface, causing the sealing member to isolate the
connecting chamber from the valve chamber.
14. The vacuum forming device of claim 11, wherein the discharging
chamber comprises a mounting wall, a side wall, and an outlet wall,
the mounting wall is coupled to jointing portion of the top wall
and the second guiding wall, the side wall perpendicularly extends
from an edge of the mounting wall away from the valve chamber, the
outlet wall perpendicularly extend from an edge of the side wall
away from the mounting wall and is coupled to the inclined sealing
surface and the outlet wall is be arranged parallel to the mounting
wall, the outlet is defined on the outlet wall.
15. The vacuum forming device of claim 14, wherein the outlet wall
and the mounting wall are arranged along a horizon direction, the
outlet wall is parallel to the inner bottom of the valve chamber
and is disposed above the inner bottom of the connecting chamber
opposite edges of the inclined sealing surface are connected to the
inner bottom and the outlet wall.
16. The vacuum forming device of claim 14, wherein the inner bottom
of the connecting chamber is coplanar to the outlet wall, the
sealing surface is coupled to jointing edges of the inner bottom
and the outlet wall and extends toward the valve chamber.
17. The vacuum forming device of claim 9, further comprising a
discharging assembly, wherein the discharging assembly comprises a
retrieving member and a driving member assembled to the retrieving
member, the retrieving member comprises an extensible rod and a
retrieving portion assembled to an end of the extensible rod, the
extensible rod penetrates through the discharging chamber and is
partially received in the discharging passage, the driving member
is assembled to an end of the extensible rod away from the
retrieving portion, and configured for driving the retrieving
portion to fetch a workpiece in the vacuum forming device.
18. The vacuum forming device of claim 9, further comprising a
first vacuum pump coupled to the vacuum forming chamber, and a
second vacuum pump coupled to the discharging chamber, the first
vacuum pump is configured for exhausting air from the vacuum
forming chamber, the second vacuum pump is configured for
exhausting air from the discharging chamber to enable the
discharging chamber to remain a vacuum degree equal to that of the
vacuum forming chamber.
19. A vacuum container couplable to a vacuum forming chamber, the
vacuum container comprising: a connecting chamber couplable to the
vacuum container, the connecting chamber having an inner bottom
with a sealing surface inclined away from the vacuum forming
chamber; a discharging chamber having a discharging passage
extending in a first direction along a first axis; a valve chamber
connecting the connecting chamber to the discharging chamber, the
valve chamber extending along a second axis; and a sealing member
slidably along the second axis toward the first axis and positioned
in the valve chamber such that a first side of the sealing member
is substantially sealed from a second side of the sealing member;
wherein, the first axis is at an acute angle to the second axis;
and wherein, when the sealing member is positioned against the
sealing surface, the connecting chamber is isolated from the
discharging chamber.
Description
FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to a vacuum forming
device, and more particularly to a vacuum container and a vacuum
forming device using the same.
BACKGROUND
[0002] In order to form a workpiece, a vacuum container may be
employed to maintain a vacuum environment to prevent the workpiece
from being oxidized.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0003] The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to
scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating
the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the
drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts
throughout the several views.
[0004] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a vacuum forming device
in a first state.
[0005] FIG. 2 is similar to FIG. 1, but shows the vacuum forming
device in a second state.
[0006] FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 1, but shows the vacuum forming
device in a third state.
[0007] FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of a vacuum forming
device.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0008] It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of
illustration, where appropriate, reference numerals have been
repeated among the different figures to indicate corresponding or
analogous elements. In addition, numerous specific details are set
forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the
embodiments described herein. However, it will be understood by
those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments described
herein can be practiced without these specific details. In other
instances, methods, procedures, and components have not been
described in detail so as not to obscure the related relevant
feature being described. Also, the description is not to be
considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments described
herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and the
proportions of certain parts have been exaggerated to better
illustrate details and features of the present disclosure.
[0009] Several definitions that apply throughout this disclosure
will now be presented.
[0010] The term "coupled" is defined as connected, whether directly
or indirectly through intervening components, and is not
necessarily limited to physical connections. The connection can be
such that the objects are permanently connected or releasably
connected. The term "substantially" is defined to be essentially
conforming to the particular dimension, shape, or other feature
that is modified, such that the feature of the component need not
be exact. For example, substantially cylindrical means that the
object resembles a cylinder, but can have one or more deviations
from a true cylinder. The term "comprising," when utilized, means
"including, but not necessarily limited to"; it specifically
indicates open-ended inclusion or membership in the so-described
combination, group, series and the like.
[0011] FIGS. 1-3 illustrate a first embodiment of a vacuum forming
device 100 for casting a workpiece. In the embodiment, the vacuum
forming device 100 can be a casting device for casting an amorphous
alloy. The vacuum forming device 100 can also be any other
machining device equipped with a vacuum container, such as a
chemical heat treatment vacuum device. The vacuum forming device
100 can include a vacuum forming chamber 10, a first vacuum pump
20, a mould 30, a vacuum container 50, a second vacuum pump 60, and
a discharging assembly 70. The first vacuum pump 20 can be coupled
to the vacuum forming chamber 10 for exhausting air from the vacuum
forming chamber 10. The mould 30 can be located within the vacuum
forming chamber 10 for casting a workpiece. The vacuum container 50
can be assembled to a side of the vacuum forming chamber 10. The
second vacuum pump 60 can be coupled to the vacuum container 50 for
exhausting air from the vacuum container 50. The discharging
assembly 70 can be movably received in the vacuum container 50 for
retrievinga workpiece from the vacuum forming chamber 10. The
vacuum forming device 100 also can include other structures known
in the art, such as an ejection mechanism and a casting mechanism,
that are not described herein. In the embodiment, the vacuum
forming device 100 can be operated in three different states.
[0012] FIG. 1 illustrates a first state of the vacuum forming
device 100. In the first state, the vacuum forming chamber 10
fluidly communicates with the vacuum container 50 to enable an air
pressure of the vacuum container 50 to be equal to an air pressure
of the vacuum forming chamber 10. Thus, the workpiece can be easily
moved from the vacuum forming chamber 10 to the vacuum container
50. The vacuum container 50 can include a housing 51, a sealing
cover 53, a sealing member 55, and a first driving member 57. The
housing 51 can define a connecting chamber 512, a discharging
chamber 515, and a valve chamber 513. The vacuum forming chamber 10
can define an assembly hole 11 fluidly communicating with the
connecting chamber 512. The valve chamber 513 can fluidly
communicate between the connecting chamber 512 and the discharging
chamber 515. The connecting chamber 512 can fluidly communicate
with the vacuum forming chamber 10 via the assembly hole 11. The
housing 51 can further form a connecting surface 5121, a bottom
surface 5123, and a sealing surface 5125. The connecting surface
5121 can be a top surface of the connecting chamber 512 and be
formed between the vacuum forming chamber 10 and the valve chamber
513. The bottom surface 5123 can be a bottom surface of the
connecting chamber 512. The sealing surface 5125 can be coupled to
the bottom surface 5123 and slant away from the vacuum forming
chamber 10 to couple to the discharging chamber 515.
[0013] FIG. 2 illustrates a second state of the vacuum forming
device 100. In the second state, the vacuum container 50 is
hermetically isolated from the vacuum forming chamber 10 and
receives the workpiece. The valve chamber 513 can be substantially
cube-shaped. The valve chamber 513 can include a top wall 5131, a
first guiding wall 5133, a second guiding wall 5135, and a
supporting wall 5137. The top wall 5131 can define an inserting
hole 5132. The first guiding wall 5133 can extend substantially
perpendicularly from an edge of the top wall 5131 and be coupled to
the connecting surface 5121. An angle defined by the first guiding
wall 5133 and the connecting surface 5121 of the connecting chamber
512 can be greater than 90 degrees. The second guiding wall 5135
can extend substantially perpendicularly from an edge of the top
wall 5131 opposite to the first guiding wall 5133 and enter into
the discharging chamber 515. The second guiding wall 5135 can be
substantially parallel to the first guiding wall 5133 and
substantially coplanar with the sealing surface 5125. In the
embodiment, a highest portion of the second guiding wall 5135 can
be lower than a highest portion of the first guiding wall 5133. The
supporting wall 5137 can be coupled between the first guiding wall
5133 and the second guiding wall 5137. The supporting wall 5137 can
be substantially parallel to the top wall 5131. The discharging
chamber 515 can be substantially rectangular and define a
discharging passage 511 therein.
[0014] In the embodiment, the first guiding wall 5133 and the
supporting wall 5137 can be spaced from the bottom surface 5123,
and the second guiding wall 5135 can be spaced from the sealing
surface 5125. A through passage 517 can be defined between the
second guiding wall 5135 and the sealing surface 5125. The through
passage 517 can interconnect the discharging passage 511 and the
assembly hole 11 of the vacuum forming chamber 10. The discharging
chamber 515 can include a mounting wall 5151, a side wall 5153, and
an outlet wall 5155. The mounting wall 5151 is coupled to a joint
portion of the top wall 5131 and the second guiding wall 5135. The
mounting wall 5151 and the top wall 5131 can define an angle
greater than 90 degrees. The side wall 5153 can extend
substantially perpendicularly from an edge of the mounting wall
5151 away from the valve chamber 513. The outlet wall 5155 can be
coupled to the sealing surface 5125 and can be substantially
parallel to the mounting wall 5151 and the bottom surface 5123.
[0015] The outlet wall 5155, the mounting wall 5151, and the bottom
surface 5123 can be arranged substantially horizontally. The outlet
wall 5155 can be disposed above the bottom surface 5123 and define
an outlet 5157 adjacent to the side wall 5153. The sealing cover 53
can be pivotably coupled to the side wall 5153 to seal the outlet
5157.
[0016] FIG. 3 illustrates a third state of the vacuum forming
device 100. In the third state, the sealing cover 53 is rotated to
open the outlet 5157 to allow the workpiece to slide along the
sealing cover 53 into a collection container 80 located beneath the
vacuum container 50. The sealing member 55 can be movably received
in the valve chamber 513. The sealing member 55 can slide toward
the supporting wall 5137. The sealing member 55 can include a
sealing head 551 and a connecting rod 553 protruding from a side of
the sealing head 551. Opposite sides of the sealing head 551 can
respectively resist the first guiding wall 5133 and the second
guiding wall 5135. An end surface of the sealing head 551 away from
the connecting rod 553 can abut against the supporting wall 5137.
The connecting rod 553 can slidably insert through the inserting
hole 5132 of the valve chamber 513 and partially extend out of the
valve chamber 513. The first driving member 57 can be assembled to
an end of the connecting rod 553 extending out of the valve chamber
513. The first driving member 57 can be configured for driving the
sealing head 551 to slide along the first guiding wall 5133 and the
second guiding wall 5135, and further driving the sealing head 511
to resist the supporting wall 5137, thereby isolating the
connecting chamber 512 from the valve chamber 513.
[0017] The second vacuum pump 60 can be coupled to the mounting
wall 5151 of the discharging chamber 515 and configured for
exhausting air out of the discharging chamber 515 to create a
vacuum inside the discharging chamber 515. A vacuum degree of the
discharging chamber 515 can be equal to a vacuum degree of the
vacuum forming chamber 10.
[0018] The discharging assembly 70 can be partially and slidably
received in the vacuum container 50. The discharging assembly 70
can include a retrieving member 71, and a second driving member 73
assembled to the retrieving member 71. The second driving member 73
can be located outside of the discharging chamber 515. The
retrieving member 71 can include an extendable rod 712, and a
retrieving portion 715 assembled to an end of the extendable rod
712. The extendable rod 712 can be coupled to the second driving
member 73, and be driven by the second driving member 73 to extend
through the side wall 5153 into the discharging passage 511. In the
embodiment, the extendable rod 712 can hermetically extend through
the side wall 5153 to maintain the vacuum degree of the discharging
chamber 515. The retrieving portion 715 can be a substantially
rectangular basket and be received in the discharging passage
511.
[0019] In use, the sealing member 55 can hermetically isolate the
vacuum forming chamber 10 from the discharging chamber 515, and the
sealing cover 53 can seal the outlet 5157. The second vacuum pump
60 can be turned on to exhaust the discharging chamber 515 until
the vacuum degree of the discharging chamber 515 is equal to that
of the vacuum forming chamber 10. The sealing member 55 can be
moved toward the top wall 5131 to allow the valve chamber 513 to
fluidly communicate between the connecting chamber 512 and the
discharging chamber 515. The second driving member 73 drives the
retrieving portion 715 to move into the vacuum forming chamber 10
to fetch the workpiece from the mould 30. After the retrieving
portion 715 fetches the workpiece, the second driving member 73
withdraws to pull the retrieving portion 715 back into the
discharging chamber 515. The first driving member 57 drives the
sealing head 551 toward the supporting wall 5137 to isolate the
vacuum forming chamber 10 from the discharging chamber 515. The
sealing cover 53 is rotated to open the outlet 5157, the second
driving member 73 rotates the retrieving portion 715 to allow the
workpiece to drop onto the sealing cover 53, and the workpiece
slides along the sealing cover 53 into the collection box 80.
[0020] FIG. 4 illustrates a second embodiment of a vacuum forming
device 200. The vacuum forming device 200 can include a vacuum
forming chamber 101, a first vacuum pump 201, a mould 301, a vacuum
container 501, a second vacuum pump 601, and a discharging assembly
701. The vacuum container 501 can include a connecting chamber
5012, a discharging chamber 5015, and a valve chamber 5013. The
valve chamber 5013 can interconnect the connecting chamber 5012 and
the discharging chamber 5015. The difference between the vacuum
forming device 200 and the vacuum forming device 100 is that a
bottom surface 5017 of the connecting chamber 5012 can be coplanar
with an outlet wall 5018 of the discharging chamber 5015. A sealing
surface 5019 can extend from the bottom surface 5017 and can be
inclined toward the valve chamber 5013. The sealing surface 5019
can extend from a joint portion of the bottom surface 5017 and the
outlet wall 5018.
[0021] The sealing cover 53, the outlet 5157, the first vacuum pump
20, and the second vacuum pump 60 can be omitted, such that the
workpiece is directly collected in the vacuum container 50, as long
as the vacuum container 50 can be disassembled from the vacuum
forming chamber 10 to remove the workpiece. When the connecting rod
5132 is operated manually, the first driving member 57 can be
omitted.
[0022] While the present disclosure has been described with
reference to particular embodiments, the description is
illustrative of the disclosure and is not to be construed as
limiting the disclosure. Therefore, those of ordinary skill in the
art can make various modifications to the embodiments without
departing from the true spirit and scope of the disclosure, as
defined by the appended claims.
* * * * *